I’ve started a community to discuss designing a post-social-media world that puts people before platforms and algorithms. As a part of that, we’re having a discussion about the values we would like to see in the Local Web. Here is a draft list of those values:

Privacy A Local Web is not automatically available to the entire public world. While you may join a Local Web through a public venue (e.g., coffeeshop, non-profit organization, etc…), that venue may not necessarily receive everyone who attempts to join. Someone who is not already a part of a specific Local Web is not able to access the data within it. You cannot send publicly accessible links.

Recognition Joining a Local Web should be a deliberate action: you should recognize the Local Web you are joining before presenting your name or profile. Similarly, if you are the steward of a Local Web, you should know and verify the identity of the people you are admitting.

Self-Determination Aside from a name, personal profiles should have no required data. The name given does not need to be a legal name. Also, the same person can use different profiles for different Local Webs.

Impermanence A Local Web is not intended for permanent publishing. Data that is available today may not be available tomorrow. People determine what data they wish to share with others and when they want to stop sharing it.

Decentralization A Local Web should be made primarily of devices owned by individuals. While the establishment of a Local Web may need some level of centralized coordination (e.g., a conventional WWW site), communication should largely happen device-to-device. Local Webs should be independent of each other: one Local Web should not rely on the content shared in another Local Web.

What do you think? Also, if you or someone you know is interested in imagining a values-driven, people-centric, post-social-media world, send me a message!